RULING THE RENTAL MARKET

The Palmisano sisters take the vacation rental design scene by storm with their tips and tricks for constructing practical and memorable rental spaces.

The Palmisano sisters take the vacation rental design scene by storm with their tips and tricks for constructing practical and memorable rental spaces.

“We just want to help hardworking people to own these places and stand out in the competitive market.”

Vacations are supposed to be a break from your 9 to 5 job.

But for twin sisters Joanne and Rosanne Palmisano, a trip to Capri, Italy,

prompted their next big project.

Joanne, a dynamic designer, and Rosanne, a marketing guru, have explored myriad Airbnbs, Vacation Rental By Owner spots and boutique hotels while traveling together. But with each excursion, the sisters noted small changes that could have enhanced their experience in that rental.

One night in Italy, inspiration struck: The women launched into writing Rock Your Rental: Style, Design, and Marketing Tips to Boost Your Bookings, which offers decorating advice for those who own an inn, bed-andbreakfast, vacation rental home or even someone who just wants to rent out a room. “We sketched out on a paper napkin how this book could help people, and the next morning it was still a great idea,” Joanne said. “We just want to help hardworking people to own these places and stand out in the competitive market.”

“Remember to consider what you have first—sometimes a small change allows you to reuse a piece … If you have a space with a flaw, think about how you can turn it into a feature.”

The book delves into the importance of eye-catching marketing and design in the capricious and evolving rental market and homes in on how rental owners can tailor inviting spaces to their guests’ needs. The sisters maintain that many owners simply need to make small adjustments to enhance their guests’ stay and therefore more frequently rent their spaces. “We want the readers to be inspired,” Joanne said. “We put this out there to help people who may not have a large budget but really want to make some changes.”

Joanne notoriously takes advantage of character-defining and statement pieces in her designs. In Rock Your Rental, the sisters implement Joanne’s salvaging techniques to show owners that starting from square one in each room isn’t actually necessary. “Remember to consider what you have first—sometimes a small change allows you to reuse a piece,” the sisters write. “If you have a space with a flaw, think about how you can turn it into a feature.”

Joanne, who lives in Vermont, said writing the book has given her precious extra minutes with Rosanne, whose home base is California. The sisters, who have both designed vacation rentals throughout their careers, drew from the modern farmhouse style popular in California and the rustic or industrial themes present in East Coast homes to appeal to a variety of rental styles.

“Rosanne is a really incredible marketer, and I design for a living, so we combined our talents,” Joanne said. “We really complement each other in our roles.”

Joanne relied on statement pieces, like the vintage sailboat and wooden steering wheel, to ground this room's nautical atmosphere. The blue wall helps to tie in the coffee table and throw pillows, which keep the room from feeling stuffy.

Joanne removed cabinets and installed reclaimed wood shelving to brighten up this rental’s kitchen. Rustic touches and pops of color transformed the room’s aesthetics, and the added shelving made this room a huge hit! A wooden table and bench depict a standard dining room, but adding playful striped chair coverings and richly colored curtains brings the space to life. The terracotta pineapples demonstrate that a formal dining room doesn’t have to be austere.

Joanne didn’t want to give up on the potential this room had, even with its oddangled walls. She switched up the layout, building in two beds against the wall, which opened up the rest of the room.

The Palmisano sisters refreshed this room with new coats of paint on the walls and floors, but kept things cozy with plush swivel chairs and an electric fireplace.

Rock Your Rental: Style, Design, and Marketing Tips to Boost Your Bookings by Joanne and Rosanne Palmisano, published by Countryman Press, © 2020; countrymanpress.com.